Baseball

Titans Even Series with Frogs, 4-2

Fullerton, Calif. - Jesse Jenner's pinch-hit bloop single to left in the bottom of the eighth, broke a 2-2 tie and drove home the game-winner for Cal State Fullerton as the Titans (2-3) won the second game of the series over the TCU Horned Frogs (2-3), 4-2, Saturday night at Goodwin Field.

Reliever Koby Gauna (2-0) worked three innings in relief of starter Kenny Mathews to earn the win. Gauna surrendered an unearned run on three hits while striking out two. Mathews held the Frogs to just one run, a first-inning home run to Derek Odell, over five innings. The southpaw struck out six in his second start of the year. Michael Lorenzen earned his second save of the year the hard way, working out of a no-out, self-induced, bases-loaded jam.

Losing pitcher Justin Scharf (0-1) ran into trouble to begin his second inning of work allowing two runs on two hits and two walks in the bottom of the eighth.

With the score tied 2-2 in the Titans half of the eighth, J.D. Davis singled to right off Scharf to lead things off. It was the sixth of seven Titan hits on the night. Schraf then walked Pedroza and uncorked a wild pitch that sent Pedroza and pinch-runner Austin Diemer into scoring position. The side-winding righty then set pinch-hitter Matt Orloff down on strikes before serving up the pitch that Jenner, taking his first collegiate at bat, fought off and punched into left field. A walk to Derek Legg loaded the bases and Lorenzen's ground ball to short off new pitcher Kevin Allen brought home the Titans' fourth and final run.

Mathews and Gauna held the Frogs scoreless from the second until the top of the eighth. Jason Coats singled off Gauna to lead off the eighth and then went all the way to third when Chad Wallach's throw on a stolen base attempt hit him and kicked far enough away to advance. A grounder to short by Zac Jordan was enough to score Coats to tie the game at 2-2.

The Frogs worked the bases loaded in the ninth with a pair of walks and a Kyle Von Tungeln single, but Lorenzen struck out Odell and induced a 6-3 double play off the bat of Coats to get out of it unscathed.

The rubber game of the series will begin on Sunday at 11 a.m. Sunday's starter has not been announced for Fullerton. Right-hander Trey Teakell will go for TCU.